Pirates
by Bobbin of Ham
Summary: A pirate ship sails into Berk towards the end of Autumn, its Captain requesting that they be allowed to winter on the island of Berk.
1. Chapter 1

The ship had run the black flag, a signal of parley. It was clearly a pirate ship, the flag was the first sign of that plus, it wasn't built like a Viking ship; low to the water with an ornate prow. It was built to go out on the open sea. No one was worried; pirates where no enemies to Vikings. Often, pirates were hired for raids. At times a Viking would join pirate crews for a year or two. Stoick stood on the dock, his brother and a few other villagers standing nearby, all watching the boat sail in. Gobber would have been there, but they had no idea who was sailing into their docks so Stoick had left Hiccup in his care and they remained at the forge. Stoick didn't trust pirates, they weren't a threat, but they were not trustworthy either.

The captain was a tall man. Not big and bulky like a Viking, but he was muscular and strong. A man from the south. Still, he seemed small next to Stoick. The pirate smiled, flashing white teeth and requested shore leave for his men and an audience with the chief, after he had stretched his legs and had a meal. He had politely declined the offer of a meal from Stoick saying he would dine with his men.

Stoick had wanted a quiet meal to go over winter preparation plans anyway and had leftover stew in his home. He was finishing the after dinner clean up and Hiccup was quietly, for him, playing on the floor next to the fire. The boy was making a mess drawing in the ashes as he talked to himself. There was a knock at the door and Hiccup jumped up,

"Is it the stranger, Dad? He's a pirate right? That's why he has a gold earring? Gobber said he doesn't look half bad, what's that mean?"

Stoick didn't answer. He wiped the ashes off Hiccup's hands and face before opening the door. The boy had been overflowing with energy but when he saw the stranger he calmed down and stood close behind his father. Holding on to Stoick's tunic with one hand and his thumb with the other Hiccup peeked at the pirate; he wasn't used to strangers.

"Good evening," The captain bowed, "Thank you for agreeing to speak with me so late." He glanced at Hiccup and Stoick narrowed his eyes in warning. Pirates might not be enemies overall but this man was still a stranger and his motives unknown. It was safe enough for him to be here, Stoick could take him no problem.

"My name is Orange Eye Rob'n," He said, holding out his hand to shake. Stoick took his hand from Hiccup and shook the pirate's hand,

"Stoick." He dropped his hand to his side and Hiccup held his thumb again, staring at the stranger.

"Did you fall in the fire?" Hiccup asked from behind his father.

"Excuse me?" Orange Eye said with an eyebrow raised.

"You look burnt, like you fell in the fire."

"Hiccup!" Stoick hissed. "Please excuse him. He's only six." The last thing Stoick needed was Hiccup insulting the pirate captain. An insulted pirate was a problem he did not want to deal with on top of preparing for winter.

"Of course. I would have assumed he was younger." Orange Eye said eyeing the child.

Stoick narrowed his eyes but didn't respond to that, instead offered him a seat. Hiccup ran away up the stairs and Stoick let him go. Maybe he should have asked Gobber or Spitelout to take the boy for the night.

"What was it you wanted to discuss?" He asked, sitting down.

"Wintering. Not here, we know you have dragon problems and wouldn't want more mouths to feed. Nearby though. We can make it worth your while."

Wintering, Stoick didn't even want the man in his house for a short discussion, let alone near his village for the winter. Pirates usually made good bargains though, and Berk didn't pillage much due to the dragon problem. Small thumps came from the loft. Hiccup was coming toward the stairs again and Stoick stood from his seat to wait next to them. Orange Eye raised an eyebrow.

"How so?" Stoick asked him. Hiccup bounded down the steep steps and slipped. Stoick caught him easily from where he stood, scooped him off the stairs, and set him on the floor before taking his seat again. It was clearly something that happened often.

The pirate swallowed a chuckle, "It depends on what you require."

Hiccup was hopping toward the pirate and Stoick grabbed the back of his collar before he got to Orange Eye. Just because Stoick wasn't afraid of the guy was no reason to not be cautious.

"See?" Hiccup interrupted, "My yak fell in the fire; the dragons did it. He's burnt too." He held up a wooden yak toy which was black and charred in places. "Daddy said it didn't hurted him but I had to rescue him and it hurted me. My hand was only a little burnt and red, but you must've been a lot burnt. Did it hurted a lot?"

Orange Eye looked at the child dumbfounded and Stoick sat in his chair with his head in his hand, still holding on to Hiccup's collar. Orange Eye burst out laughing.

"No, little one, I did not fall in any fires."

Hiccup's eyes widened, "Did a dragon breathe on you?"

"No." Orange Eye leaned forward and whispered, "I was born this colour."

"Really?" Hiccup looked up at his dad to see if he was being lied to. Gobber did it often. "How?"

"I don't know." The Pirate sat back in his chair, "Everyone is this colour where I am from." He seemed good with Hiccup but he was a pirate, he was supposed to be charming.

"Is it far? Can we go to there?" Hiccup asked his father.

"Go there." Stoick corrected, "No, Hiccup, we need to stay in Berk." Stoick pulled Hiccup back by the collar. "Now go play in your room so we can talk."

"Okay," Hiccup said. With another look at Orange Eye he scampered back to his room.

"Slow on the stairs, Hiccup." Stoick said, "We require a peaceful winter." He told Orange Eye, "So if you cannot promise that you cannot have leave to stay."

"Come now, we're pirates," Orange Eye crossed his ankle over his knee, "We get bored when we're stuck in one place too long."

"And we are Vikings who fight dragons on a regular basis. Do you really want to take us on?"

Orange Eye held his hands up, "No, no, we wouldn't stand a chance. I'm curious though; do your children fight dragons too? I've heard rumours."

"Is that a threat?" Stoick growled eyebrows low over his eyes.

"No. No, no, would never dream of threatening you. Like I said, I've heard rumours, wondered if they were true. Did the dragons really burn his toy?"

Stoick rolled his eyes, "It was a game. He dropped it in the fire himself as a 'dragon.' He isn't allowed out during a raid or anywhere near the training ring." Not since Stoick had learned that the boy could easily slip through the chains into the arena.

Orange Eye laughed, "Of course. I will ensure my men do not anger you and tell them to treat Viking children as they would bear cubs. We will help on any hunts you have before winter sets in, as long as we get a portion of the kills. And we can pay you ten percent of this summer's haul. As well as extra for any supplies we may require."

"And you'll set up outside of Berk?" Stoick asked. He paid no attention to the scraping sound coming from the loft so Orange Eye followed his lead.

"I'll even let you choose the location."

"You can have a trial period in the harbour. I'll discuss your request with the council."

"Of course. Thank-" There was a loud bang followed by a thud from the floor above.

Stoick sighed, "Hiccup?" No answer came. Stoick stood up and moved closer to the stairs, "Hiccup?" Forgetting about the pirate sitting at his table Stoick ran up the stairs.

The chair to Hiccup's desk was tipped over near a shelf. Hiccup was curled up next to it.

"What happened?" Stoick asked, kneeling down to pull Hiccup into his lap.

Hiccup wrapped his arms around Stoick's neck, "I, I wanted m-my toy and I fell." He sniffed into Stoick's shoulder. Stoick couldn't find any cuts or bumps that were worrying, no blood- just bruises. Hiccup was breathing heavily though.

"You fell off the chair?"

Hiccup let go of his neck and nodded.

"Onto the floor?"

The boy shook his head and pointed at the yak toy lying where he had landed. Ah. That would hurt. "Where did it hit you?"

"M-my tummy. An' an' I, I couldn't breaf." His eyes were wide and scared.

"You're alright." Stoick said brushing Hiccup's hair back, "You just got the wind knocked out of you. You're fine." He stood up with Hiccup in his arms, "Can you help me say goodbye to our guest?" Hiccup wiped his eyes and nodded. This was a little more domestic than Stoick wanted to appear, but he had a six-year-old and was an only parent so domestic was part of his job until Hiccup got a bit older. Stoick adjusted Hiccup and went downstairs. Orange Eye was inspecting one of the shields that hung on the walls while he waited. He turned as Stoick came downstairs with Hiccup.

"Your cub okay?"

Stoick raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Is there anything else you need before I talk to the council?" He noticed Hiccup slipping so he bumped him up. Definitely too domestic, holding a child ruins any tough Viking image. He tightened his grip on Hiccup.

"I think we covered everything." Orange Eye smiled, "I'll leave you to discuss it. I hope your yak gets better." He said to Hiccup.

"I don't." Hiccup pouted, "The dragons can have him. He hurted me."

"Hurt, Hiccup, not 'hurted.' I've told you not to climb on the furniture." Stoick said. "I will talk to them tomorrow and let you know." He stopped moving when he noticed he had been swaying slightly. It was habit to do that when he held Hiccup, had been since the boy was a baby. Stoick decided not to have strangers in his house again till Hiccup was older.

"Thank you." Orange Eye bowed. The pirate pretended he didn't notice but his eyes didn't miss anything. Stoick really didn't trust him. "You might try tying it outside as a sacrifice next dragon raid. All the other yaks will think twice before hurting you." He winked at the boy.

Hiccup tipped his head, "Srcyfice? Like a goat for Odin?"

The Chief sighed and opened the door, "I will talk to you tomorrow." The Captain nodded and left. Shutting the door Stoick looked at his son, "You are not to go out during a dragon raid. And stay away from the fire. Do you understand?"

Hiccup nodded absently, clearly thinking about something else.

"Hiccup. Do you understand?"

"Yup." Hiccup pushed at his dad's arm, indicating that he wanted down.

"Get ready for bed." Stoick told him as he put the boy down. "Not upstairs, Hiccup. Get ready for bed." He steered his son away from the steps and toward the bedroom. He'd have to make sure Hiccup didn't follow up on the stupid sacrifice idea.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: This was a story idea that just didn't fit in with _Of Fathers and Nightmares. _Plus, eight seemed a little too old for Hiccup to be blurting out that he thought the stranger in his house had been burnt. He would at least know to shut up about it when warned by Stoick, but six is young enough that he simply wouldn't catch on. **

**There will be more stories with One Eye Rob'n because he's a fun character, mostly when I need a break from working on OFN and the other story in progress.**

**Special thanks again to CB not only for editing but also naming Orange Eye Rob'n :)**


	2. Goblins

"Are you aware that there is a charred toy yak tied up in your yard?" Gobber said in place of greeting as he shut the front door with a bang.

Stoick didn't look up from his map, "I wondered what he did with it." Hiccup had insisted on bringing the toy to breakfast but hadn't come home with it. "Pirates want to winter on Berk, they'll set up outside the town, use their own supplies." There was tell-tale thudding from the loft.

"Gobber! Catch me!" Hiccup jumped off the stairs into Gobber's arms.

"Now you know better than to go jumpin' off of things." Gobber said he hoisted Hiccup up and glancing at Stoick out of the corner of his eye. Hiccup giggled.

Stoick's eyes didn't leave his map, "Kid's a chatterbox Gobber; I know you taught him that. Drop him and then we'll have a problem."

"Right." Gobber came over to see the map of the island.

"Daddy's finding a place for the pirates to live." Hiccup said, "The captain's having supper here so Daddy can talk to him 'bout it. He's from really far away. He didn't fall in the fire, Gobber, he was born that colour."

"Hiccup, why don't you go play upstairs." Stoick said rubbing his forehead. Gobber put the boy down.

"Can I play outside?"

"Why am I going to say no?"

Hiccup rocked on his heels, "I don't know."

Stoick turned from the map to look down at Hiccup, "Are you sure you don't know?"

"Maybe," Hiccup took a deep breath, studying the floor, "Maybe it's cause I went to the woods earlier."

"Why are you not allowed in the woods?"

Hiccup still wouldn't make eye contact, studying the far wall instead, "Maybe cause you think I'll get lost?"

"You did get lost. You were lost for a whole day."

Hiccup finally looked up at Stoick, "I wasn't lost, Daddy. I knew how to find home."

Stoick rubbed his forehead, this was not helping his headache, "If I don't know where you are and can't find you, you are lost. Understand?"

Hiccup tipped his head, "Even if I know where you are?"

"Yes."

Hiccup frowned as he processed this. Stoick hoped it would sink in and prevent any further 'adventures' for a while. "So I can't play outside?"

Gods above, this kid. "No."

With a sigh Hiccup trudged up the stairs.

Gobber laughed, "Boy takes after you."

Stoick ignored that and turned back to the map, "I don't know where to put them, Gobber." The council had agreed to let the pirates stay but said that they trusted their chief to choose a suitable place. It was a cop out and everyone involved knew it.

"I'd say there," Gobber tapped a beach close to the village, "If they don't mind a bit of a climb there's a nice clearing above it and their boat'll be sheltered."

"You don't think that's too close to the village?"

"Nah. Besides, it's one measly ship of pirates. We're Vikings; we can take them on no problem. Once winter sets in everyone stays close to home anyway."

Scraping sounded on the floor above. Both men looked up at the ceiling. "Can you see what he's up to?" Stoick asked, "He hurt himself climbin on things last night."

"Yup." Gobber headed up the stairs, "Whatcha doin' lad?"

Hiccup turned toward him, "Getting my toy." He stood on his chair, one foot on the back rung.

"How 'bout you get off the chair," Gobber took Hiccup and set him safely on the floor, "And I get yer toy." He handed Hiccup the wooden dragon and kneeled down, "Yer dad says you hurt yerself last night doin' that."

Hiccup nodded as his dragon 'flew' around him, dipping up and down. "I fell off my chair and my yak hurted me. Daddy said I got the wind knocked out of me. What's that mean?"

"Ye got hit hard enough that ye couldn't breathe."

"Uh huh, I couldn't." His dragon landed on Gobber's arm and ran up it before taking off again, "My yak did it."

"Is that why it's tied up outside?" Gobber asked with a smile.

"Uh huh. He's a scryfice for the dragons cause he's bad."

Gobber frowned, that was worrying. Hiccup wasn't the type of kid to be vindictive or cruel. "That's a little mean don't you think?"

Hiccup looked up from his game, "Why?"

"Well," Gobber scratched his chin as he thought, "What if yer dad tied you up for the dragons when you were bad?"

It only took a moment for that idea to sink in and Hiccup's eyes went wide. Gobber realized too late that that may have been pushing it too far.

"Daddy!" Hiccup yelled dropping his dragon and running to the stairs.

Gobber got up too slowly to stop him due to his bad leg, "Hiccup," But the boy was already down the steps.

"Daddy, I have to go get my yak!" Hiccup ran into his father's knee and hung off it.

"I already told you, you can't go outside." Stoick didn't bother looking away from his map, he had moved on to hunting parties to prepare for winter.

"But I have to! I can't let the dragons get him."

Stoick sighed, "I thought you wanted the dragons to get it because it was bad."

Gobber made it down the stairs at this point and motioned for Stoick to stop but it was too late. Hiccup's eyes filled with tears.

"Are you going to srcyfice me if I'm bad?"

Stoick forgot about the map and focussed on his small son at that, "What? No." He lifted Hiccup onto his lap, "Where did you get that idea?" He glared at Gobber as he rubbed Hiccup's back.

"Now Hiccup. I never said he would do that. I was using it as an example."

Hiccup ignored Gobber though, staring up at his father. "I have to save my yak from the dragons."

"There won't be any dragons today, Hiccup. Your yak is safe till tomorrow." Stoick reassured him, trying to avoid any further drama. Seriously, how was there so much drama attached to a six-year-old?

"Really?" Hiccup was willing to believe it, there was still a chance for a quiet afternoon. Stoick smiled at the boy,

"Really. No dragons will get it."

"Well," Gobber said, not catching Stoick's warning glare, "The goblins might."

Hiccup's head whipped around to see Gobber, "Goblins?"

"I'm sure the goblins will leave your yak alone." Stoick soothed, "Right Gobber." He fixed his friend with a stare that told him to play along and cut it out. Gobber missed it completely.

"They're tricky things, goblins. Knowing you want it they'll probably take it."

Hiccup looked up at Stoick with worried eyes.

"Then I'm sure Gobber won't mind getting it for you. Will he?" Stoick spoke the question with enough force that Gobber was certain to catch the tone. Sure enough he did,

"What?" He said, finally looking at Stoick, "Right, of course. I'll go get it right now." He hurried outside.

Hiccup sat with Stoick playing with his father's hand, bending and straightening the fingers, never taking his eyes off the door. Stoick went back to planning the next hunt. An elk herd had been tracked to the Eastern side of the island, sizable enough to get three or four kills without damaging the herd.

The door opened and Gobber stepped inside, "'Fraid the goblins got there first lad." He said with a barely concealed smile.

"They did?" Hiccup said in horror at the same time Stoick said,

"They did?" With a pointed look. "Are you sure? It's not out there somewhere and you didn't see it?"

"Nope." Gobber held up the rope that the yak had been tied with. It was frayed.

"They killed my yak? I didn't mean to kill him!" There was guilty panic in Hiccup's voice and Stoick quickly tried to salvage the situation.

"No, no they didn't kill him. Did they Gobber?"

"Well,"

"_Did_ they?"

Gobber took the hint; finally, "No, no goblins jus' like to play tricks. We can get them to give yer yak back. Ya know what Goblins like?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"Jerky. Love it. So, if we put some outside yer back door they should trade yer yak for it."

Hiccup slid off his father's lap and ran to grab some jerky.

"What in Thor's name is wrong with you!" Stoick whispered.

Gobber shrugged, "I'll sort it out." He started to bone some cod for the evening meal. He was making it early to feed Hiccup then take the boy back to his place for the evening while Stoick talked with Orange Eye.

"I've got enough on my plate with those pirates and winter preparations without you riling Hiccup up." Stoick said.

"Daddy, can I put this out for the goblins?" Hiccup held up a handful of jerky. Stoick leaned down and took all but two pieces to put back.

"You can put those two out. Just outside the door, okay?"

Hiccup nodded and skipped off to put them out.

"Make sure he gets the stupid toy back so he goes to bed tonight, clear?" Stoick said, narrowed eyes watching Gobber who ignored him.

"Got it." Gobber said, throwing a fish in the pan.

"Or else he stays with you for the night."


End file.
